GENEVA (ILO News) – The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) elected H.E. Eui-Yong Chung, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, as Chairman for its 2003-2004 Session.
The 287th session of the Governing Body also considered a range of other business including a report of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association.
Elections
Ambassador Chung replaces Lord Brett, United Kingdom, who served as Governing Body Chairman during the 2002-2003 Session. In June 2002, Mr Chung had already been elected Government vice-chairman of the Governing Body. He is also an ex-officio member of the ILO's World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization and played a leading role in WTO negotiations. Before he came to Geneva in 2001 as an ambassador of his country, he served it as a Deputy Minister for Trade.
Sir Leroy Trotman, General Secretary, Barbados Workers' Union and spokesperson of the Workers' Group in the Governing Body, was elected Workers' Vice-chairperson. Daniel Funes de Rioja, President of the Social Policy Department of the Argentinian Industrial Union and Chairman of the Employers' Group of the Organization of American States from 1995 to 1998, was re-elected as Employer Vice-chairperson.
The three will serve as Officers of the Governing Body during its 2003-2004 Session. The Governing Body is the executive council of the ILO and meets three times annually in Geneva. It takes decisions on policy and establishes the program and budget of the 176 member State Organization.
Freedom of Association
The Governing Body approved the 331st report of the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association. At its May-June meeting, the Committee examined 28 cases. Altogether there are currently 90 cases before the Committee.
The Committee drew special attention to the cases of Colombia and Belarus in respect of freedom of association.
In the case of Belarus, the Committee deplored its persistent failure to implement the Committee's recommendations, particularly as concerns the urgent need to institute an independent investigation into the allegations relating to government interference in trade union elections with the aim of rectifying any effects of this interference. The Committee further lamented the repeated failure on the part of the Government to provide all of the information requested and to reply to outstanding allegations.
The Committee also noted with regret new allegations concerning very serious interference in the internal affairs of two of the complainant organizations in this case – the Radio and Electronic Workers' Union (REWU) and the Belarusian Automobile and Agricultural Machinery Workers' Union (AAMWU).
The November 2003 session of the Governing Body will deal with a complaint against Belarus submitted by its workers' group in accordance with art. 26 of the ILO Constitution which foresees the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry.
In the case of Colombia, the Committee noted with deep concern that the situation of violence in the country continues in all sectors of society and that there have been allegations of the assassination of 11 trade union members in 2003, while additional allegations of 73 murders as well as detentions, death threats, abductions and attempted murders of trade union members or officials in 2002 have recently been reported to the Committee by the complainant organizations.
The Committee recalled that freedom of association can only be exercised in conditions in which fundamental human rights, in particular those relating to human life and personal safety, are fully respected and guaranteed. The Committee further deplored that the rate of sentenced perpetrators continued to be extremely low – during the entire history of the case before the Committee, only two sentences have been reported to it. The Committee reiterated its request to the Government "to put an end to the intolerable situation of impunity and to punish effectively all those responsible."
In a vote, the Governing Body rejected a request by its workers' group to establish a Commission of Inquiry for Colombia based on Article 26 of the ILO Constitution.
The Governing Body also considered, under a separate agenda item, a progress report concerning the ILO's special technical cooperation program for Colombia.
In the case of the Republic of Korea, the Committee noted that important steps have been taken over the years to ensure freedom of association but significant obstacles to the full implementation of these principles remain. The Committee was nevertheless pleased to note the Government's "overall desire and willingness to resolve the remaining issues", including concrete progress through the granting of special pardons to imprisoned trade unionists.
The Committee also considered proposals for the reform of the public service in Japan. The Committee requested the Government to provide it with the text of any relevant amending legislation, recalling important issues of freedom of association which have yet to be adequately addressed in the consultations.
Print
Email
